Hey guys,

I bought a 2004 TT Cabrio. Nice little car 38k on her, and I noted that when I bought it, the clutch pedal is pretty darn firm. Not just after it sits, but overall it is just firm to press down. Running or not running makes no difference.

Once the car is driving and in motion, the clutch pedal can be easier to press, and sometimes even glides in " like butter " but every time I am at a stop, and 50% of the time while I am driving, it just requires what I feel it too much force.

I have driven a standard my entire life, so I don't think its me. I can't help but compare it to my 2009 TT that is nowhere near what I feel on this car.

The clutch master was overfull and leaking from the cap when I bought it, and I repaired that with setting the proper level and buying a new cap.

Is this just another common symptom of the accumulator? All the threads I read deal with sitting, the car is not a garage queen from the previous owner or myself. I have been driving it at least every other day, and once out on the road all day long, it does not seem to change the what the clutch pedal operation.

Thanks in advance!

Mike

 

Welcome to the turbo club! Enjoy your car. Sounds like your slave cylinder is bad in addition to the accumulator. A telltale sign is "fluid migration" from the rear power steering pump to the master cylinder via the slave cylinder. Essentially, the clutch system is power assisted via the power steering system and the slave cylinder is the common meeting point. When the slave goes bad, it allows fluid from the power steering system to be forced through the system and overfills your master cylinder. A new cap won't fix it. The accumulator only helps store "residual" pressure in your clutch system after the motor is shut down. Think of it as an air spring. As you have probably read, the power steering fluid (pentosin) is very corrosive to rubber parts. Good luck